Cultivation Status, Constraints, and Enhancement Pathways of Tennis Referees in Guangxi: A Regional Development Perspective

This study examines the cultivation of tennis referees in Guangxi, China, through a mixed-methods approach. Results reveal a system trapped in “systemic stagnation”. While basic training exists, it focuses narrowly on rule dissemination, lacking essential modules in psychology, technology, and practical decision-making. Promotion mechanisms are opaque, and high-level officiating opportunities are unevenly distributed. Crucially, the system fails to develop competencies aligned with Guangxi’s regional realities - particularly English communication for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-facing events and adaptive skills for its multi-ethnic context. We argue that moving beyond this stagnation requires a fundamental paradigm shift: from standardized training to building an adaptive, region-sensitive cultivation ecosystem that responds to local strategic needs and empowers referees across generation.